View source for Electowiki:Policy

{{merge from|Electowiki:Editorial policy}}

Electowiki is 15 years old, and has many norms that were never codified as explicit policies. Unless we specifically say so, many of the [[w:Wikipedia:Policy|English Wikipedia's policies]] apply to us, such as the [[w:Wikipedia:Manual of Style|Manual of Style]].

== Links ==

Unlike Wikipedia, Electowiki is specifically for elections and voting systems-related materials.  Therefore, only make <code><nowiki>[[wikilinks]]</nowiki></code> to topics that we will want to have here someday.

Topics that are already covered by Wikipedia can be linked using interwiki links with the notation <code><nowiki>[[w:Electoral reform|]]</nowiki></code>, which will look like this: [[w:Electoral reform|Electoral reform]] (and likewise for Wiktionary: <code><nowiki>[[wikt:FPTP|]]</nowiki></code> becomes: [[wikt:FPTP|FPTP]]).

== Editorial policy ==
:''main article: [[Electowiki:Editorial policy]]''

=== EPOV ===

Electowiki has a policy somewhat similar to [[NPOV|Wikipedia's NPOV policy]].  However, due to the subjective nature of the topics at hand, it's hard to have a strict NPOV policy without becoming a clone of Wikipedia.  Thus, the policy regarding point-of-view is one of "EPOV".  "EPOV" is "Electowiki Point-of-View" policy.  More about EPOV can be found on [[Electowiki:EPOV]].

=== Editorial board ===

See [[Electowiki:Editorial_policy#Editorial_board]]

== Why not just use Wikipedia? ==

[[wikipedia:Wikipedia|Wikipedia]] is a free content encyclopedia with an extensive section on [[wikipedia:voting systems|voting systems]].  The election-methods mailing list community has "adopted" the Wikipedia section to some degree; most people who edit Wikipedia voting pages are aware of the mailing list and vice-versa.  Wikipedia is a great encyclopedia project.  However:

#'''Wikipedia is not a research community.'''  Wikipedia only wants well-established ideas and facts.  New systems, new methods for evaluating systems, new insight, and new jargon are invented frequently on the mailing list.  These ideas need a place to grow up to before they are notable enough to be included in Wikipedia.  Electowiki can be this research community; Wikipedia cannot.
#'''Wikipedia is an encyclopedia, not a place for promotional activism'''  Electowiki strives to be accurate and informative.  But many of us research not just for knowledge, but also for change.  Electowiki can be the place where we collaborate on arguments for change, craft draft letters to use when we write to groups where we are involved, et cetera.

Because Electowiki and Wikipedia's content are both governed by the same license, they can be perfect complements to one another, incorporating content from the other whenever useful.

== Living people ==

As of November 2019, we have a category ([[:Category:Living people]]) for main-namespace articles about people in electoral reform.  As of 2019, the policy is still under development on [[Electowiki_talk:Policy]], but these are the generally acceptable categories are emerging:
* Short summary-style pointers to biographies on Wikipedia
* Short summary-style pointers to biographies on other websites frequently referenced by articles on this wiki
* Redirects to user pages on this wiki, for authors who explicity choose to associate their user account with a real-world identity

Please do not associate user accounts on Electowiki with legal identities without explicit permission from the user.

== Code of Conduct ==
:''main article: [[Electowiki:Code of Conduct]]''
As of 00:57, 30 March 2020 (UTC), Electowiki doesn't have a formal code of conduct.  In lieu of that, the defacto code of conduct is [[meta:Code of Conduct|Miraheze Code of Conduct]] for all Miraheze wikis, plus the code of conduct for the [[EM list]], which is quoted below:

:''Please come prepared to defend the statements that you make, and to directly answer the questions that others ask of you. This list was set up to increase communication between people interested in new forms of election methodology, not as a sounding board for those who wish to drown out opposing views with prolific repetition of statements already made. When conflicts arise, please use this list to understand fully why the other side feels the way they do by honest intellectual inquiry. And when those who feel differently than you are trying to understand why you feel the way you do, please answer as honestly and directly as possible.''
:''Hopefully this is all common sense, but sadly not common enough (hence the reason for this message). In summary, please ask, answer, and be humble.''

== COI ==
:''Main page: [[Electowiki:COI]]''
{{Electowiki:COI}}

==Questions==
Questions, comments, or complaints about this wiki's policies should be directed toward the talk page ([[Electowiki_talk:Policy]]).

[[Category:Policy]]